The distinguished surname Lingens emerged among the industrious people of Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames are derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Flemish surnames of this type frequently are prefixed by de la or de le, which mean of the or from the. The Lingens family originally lived in the parish of Lingen in the county of Herefordshire. The surname Lingens belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Lingens Early Origins

The surname Lingens was first found in Herefordshire where the village of Lingen still exists today. The village is listed in the Domesday Book as holding 2 manors, land for 7 ploughs, half a league of woodland and at that time was held by Ralph de Mortimer. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8) Limebrook Priory is located south of the village was founded before the time of Richard I by either Ralph de Lingen or Ralph de Mortimer and may be one of the two aforementioned manors. "The first recorded ancestor of this loyal family is Ralph de Wigmore, lord of Lingen, founder of the Priory of Lyngbroke. His son and grandson John took the name of Lingen." [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.

Lingens Spelling Variations

Lingens Spelling Variations

Flemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Lingen, Lingane, Lingham, Lyngbroke and others.

Lingens Early History

Lingens Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lingens research. Another 213 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1514, 1466, 1506, 1612, 1662 and 1638 are included under the topic Early Lingens History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lingens Early Notables (pre 1700)

Lingens Early Notables (pre 1700)

Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lingens Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The Great Migration

Study of Passenger and Immigration lists has revealed that among early immigrants bearing the Lingens surname were: a large family of Linganes headed by Bartholomew who settled in Prescott, Ontario, in 1825; George and John Lingen settled in Philadelphia in 1837.

Skordas, Guest. Ed. The Early Settlers of Maryland an Index to Names or Immigrants Complied from Records of Land Patents 1633-1680 in the Hall of Records Annapolis, Maryland. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1968. Print.

The Lingens Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Lingens Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.